A/N: Holy shit, I can't believe it's been since January since I've updated this story, oh my god, I am so sorry. But as I said before, I will never leave my stories unfinished, I always finish them. Unfortunately, life just gets in the way.

I graduate in one month from today, AND I got accepted to University today! It was a good day, to say the least :D

Disclaimer: don't own A&A but own other characters not associated with it.

Ally POV

"I was thinking you should invite Austin over for supper tonight," my mom said as I went out to bring her a glass of lemonade. She was sitting on the deck reading a book.

"Ha, no, I think I'll pass on that," I replied, zipping my sweater up. It was pretty chilly out that day, I didn't know why Mom felt the need to read outside. "We've been dating for like a month."

She raised an eyebrow. "Miele, he needs to come over and meet all of us eventually. You've met his parents. His entire family, actually."

"He's already met everyone."

"He's never met me," she said. "And I don't think he's met Mike, either. Go call him and invite him."

"But Mom-"

"Nessun buts. Invitare il tuo uomo (No buts. Invite your man)," she said firmly.

I grumbled but went back into the house to find the cordless. I called him and waited for him to pick up. He answered on the second ring. "Hello?"

"Hey, it's me."

"Oh, hey Als," he said. "I didn't recognize the number." He started calling me Als, which I didn't mind.

"Yeah, I'm calling from the house phone," I told him. "I've got a request for you through my mom."

"A request from your mom?" he laughed. "Oh no. Okay, I'm listening. What's up?"

"She wants to know if you want to come over for supper tonight."

"Really?" He sounded kind of surprised. "Uh, yeah, yeah, I can do that. What time do you want me to come over?"

"Just come around five. I'm sure she's going to start cooking soon, anyway." Sure enough, my mom walked into the house at that moment, heading straight for the kitchen.

"Sounds great. I'll see you later."

"Yeah, see you." I hung up and poked my head in the kitchen. "He's coming."

"Oh, goody!" My mom exclaimed. "I'm going to make my famous lasagna."

"Yay," I told her. "I'm going to find Claudia."

She was downstairs playing video games with Bryce. "What the hell? Claudia, holding a video game controller? What is happening to this world?" I gasped as I got to the bottom of the stairs. "Is the zombie apocalypse among us?"

"Oh, bite me," she replied. "I wanted to try but I suck."

"You aren't that terrible," Bryce said. "I've only killed you like forty times in the last five minutes."

She rolled her eyes, and addressed me. "What do you want?"

"I need to talk to you about something," I said.

She sighed, but dropped the controller onto the couch. "I'll be back," she said to her brother. "The sister summons me."

"Oh, give me a break," I said. She followed me into the den around the corner.

Claudia flopped onto the chair and pulled her legs underneath her. Since it was Saturday, she was just wearing jeans and a sweater, her hair pulled back into a tight braid. "What's going on?"

"My mom invited Austin over for supper tonight. He'll be here in like two hours."

"Oh, Penny," Claudia said, smacking a hand over her eyes. "The classic mother move. Okay, okay, we can figure this out. Wait, why are you so antsy about it?"

"Have you even seen movies? The first dinner with the parents never ends well. Embarrassing pictures are always shown, rude remarks are made, awkwardness ensues, and the parents end up hating their child's significant other."

"Is that what you're so worried about? That my dad and Penny aren't going to like Austin?"

"Well, I didn't exactly give them a great first impression of him when he was first brought up at the arcade. By you, by the way," I added, glaring at her.

She threw her hands up. "Oh my god, I thought we were past that hating each other phase."

"We are, I just-" I sighed. "He's changed, and I don't want them to just see the old him."

"But they never met him before. It's going to be fine, Ally. Just don't make it weird," Claudia said. "I promise I won't do anything stupid and I'll try to help you with it."

"Thanks," I said, feeling relieved.

"But seriously, if he's going to be here in two hours, you better go get ready."

I glanced down at my sweater and tights. "What's wrong with what I'm wearing now?"

"It's not nice enough for a supper with your boyfriend and parents," she told me. "And your eyes look like a raccoon's. Seriously, lay off the black eye shadow and eyeliner."

"I like it," I huffed.

"Whatever floats your boat," she said. "Now go change."

"Much better," Claudia said, taking me in.

I had showered and changed into jeans and a red t-shirt. I had left my hair down so it flowed down in loose curls. As Claudia had wished, I had ditched the eye shadow and eye liner (but just for tonight), and stuck with mascara only. I even put on my little heart necklace my dad had given me years ago. "I feel naked," I told her.

"You have natural beauty, Ally, how come you never show it off like this?"

I shrugged. "I don't know."

"Well, whatever, you look good. Now add some perfume and let's go downstairs, he's going to be here any minute if he's punctual." She herself had changed into galaxy leggings and a black chiffon shirt. Her hair was now in a high ponytail.

We found Bryce setting the table and he glanced up when we came in. "You guys look nice." He was used to seeing me without much makeup on, obviously because we lived in the same house, but it was still a nice gesture.

"Thanks, bro," Claudia said as I thanked him as well.

"You girls look fabulous," my mom said as she came into the dining area. "Mike, don't they look great?"

"Yes, but I'm not sure I like how grown up you two look," he said, jokingly.

"Nonsense, Daddy," Claudia said, smiling.

The doorbell rang, and we all glanced toward the direction of the noise. I looked at all of them with my hands out. "Nobody follow me, nobody say anything, got it?"

I walked out of the room and to the foyer. I took a deep breath and opened the door to find Austin on the porch, holding a bouquet of flowers.

"Hey," he smiled before it wavered a little as he took me in.

"What?" I asked, looking at him. I glanced down at my clothes. "Oh god, I knew it was too much for a supper at home!"

"No, no!" he said quickly. "You look really beautiful. I'm just not used to seeing you without all the eye makeup."

I relaxed. "Oh. Yeah, Claudia told me I should take it off."

"Don't get me wrong, you look great, but I also like your eye makeup," he said quietly. "It's one of the things I love about you."

I smiled. "I know. Thanks." I took the flowers from him. "These are great. My mom's going to love them."

"I hope so. I figured flowers are the standard gift to bring," Austin replied, following me into the house. "Where is everyone?"

"Anxiously waiting in the dining area," I mumbled to him. "Prepare yourself."

He laughed and when we walked into the room, my mom whipped around. "Finally, it's about time we meet Ally's man!"

"Oh my god, mom!" I exclaimed, but Austin just laughed as my mom gave him a hug. "Stop it!"

"It's nice to meet you too, Mrs. Saunders," he said.

She waved him off. "Oh, call me Penny, please. Mrs. Saunders is so formal."

"These are from Austin," I said, giving the flowers to my mom.

"Oh, they're gorgeous. Thank you, Austin, I'm going to go put them in a vase right now." She hurried out the room.

"Hey Austin," Claudia and Bryce said.

"Hey," he replied, just as Mike came over.

He stuck his hand out. "Nice to meet you, son."

"You, too, uh…"

"Call me Mike, Mr. Saunders is also too formal," he insisted.

"Okay," Austin smiled. When my mom came back, he said, "Thanks for the invite, Penny."

"Sure thing, Austin, I figured it was time for us to meet. And I hope you like lasagna because I made my famous dish."

"I love lasagna," Austin assured her. "I eat pretty much anything."

"Perfect, just what I wanted to hear. Ally, keep him," my mother said, and I felt myself turn red.

Austin just laughed as we all sat down to eat. The dinner went pretty well, actually; Mike and Bryce talked with Austin about basketball, and my Mom joined in occasionally. Claudia even managed to keep her snobby comments to herself.

"I'm actually hoping for a basketball scholarship," Austin mentioned. "Coach says he thinks I've got a shot."

"Really?" Mike said, clearly interested. "Where were you wanting to play?"

"University of Tampa," he replied. "My sister goes there and she loves it. It would be nice to be in the same place as her."

"I'm sure you'll get one," Bryce said. "Your grades are good and you're an unreal player. Is basketball all you do?"

"Um…yeah, pretty much," Austin said after a short pause. I gave him a sideways glance out of curiosity but he didn't notice. "Nothing else really interests me."

"Ally loves music," Claudia said, and I wanted to kick her shin from across the table.

"So I've heard," he replied, looking at me.

"You've heard?" Claudia exclaimed before looking at me. "He's heard you play?"

"No, he hasn't, I just told him I like music," I told her.

"I'm gonna hear you play at the Christmas concert," Austin said.

"So you are doing it, honey? That's great!" my mom said happily.

Crap, I forgot about that. "I don't know, I haven't decided. Look, can we just drop it, please?" I added at the end so I didn't sound rude. Luckily, they did, and small talk was made for the rest of dinner.

While my mom insisted on cleaning up, with Mike, Claudia, and Bryce's help, Austin and I went out to the backyard. The air was crisp now, and it was getting dark.

"What was that about back there?" I asked him as we walked side by side.

"What?"

"You hesitated a bit when Bryce asked if you just played basketball," I said. "Is something wrong?"

"Oh, that. No, I'm fine," he told me, but I wasn't convinced.

"Austin, come on, there's something you're not telling me," I said. I didn't want to be pushy, but I had told him about my stage fright; the least he could do was talk to me. "Please."

He looked down at me and sighed before walking over to the swing we had hanging from the giant tree. He sat down on it and I leaned against the tree with my arms crossed.

"I've never told anyone this except Dez, and my family, but…I'm sort of into music."

I raised an eyebrow. "That's it? Music?"

"I meant into it like you are; the instruments, the…singing."

"Wait, you sing?" I exclaimed.

"Shh!" He said, glancing back towards the house. "Say it louder, I don't think China heard you."

"Sorry," I said. "But how come you never told anyone? Or me?"

"Because it's embarrassing!" he said. "I'm supposed to be this big basketball star that people can count on, not some singing freak."

"Hey," I said, a little hurt.

"I didn't mean it like that, I'm sorry," he said. He put his face in his hands.

I sighed and went over to him and slid onto his lap. I wrapped an arm around his neck. "You know what? There's nothing wrong with loving something, even if it's singing. If it makes you happy, then who gives a shit about what other people think? Do I look like I give a damn about what people think of me? Hey, look at me." I put a hand on his face so he'd look. His big brown eyes were making me melt. "Don't be afraid to show people what you've got. And if that's a killer singing voice, then slay it. Screw the haters and be yourself."

He stared up at me, and I raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"Nothing," he said, still looking. "Just thinking about how lucky I am to have you."

"Don't get all soft on me, dude," I said, but I grinned regardless.

He wrapped his arms around my waist. "Sorry, can't help it."

I bent down to meet his lips and when we parted, he spoke. "You should take your own advice."

"Austin, my situation is different."

"But if you just go for it and lose yourself in the music, I think you'd be just fine."

"But-"

"If you sing for me, just me to start off with, then I'll sing for you. Got it?"

Damn, that was a tempting offer because now I was really curious as to what his singing voice sounded like. "Screw you, that's too tempting."

"Come on, you know you wanna," he urged, smiling.

I narrowed my eyes at him before relenting. "Fine. Deal."

"Good. I'll see you in my basement's music room tomorrow afternoon."

A/N: This was kind of a filler chapter, but it was cute at the same time. Just some family bonding I decided was needed :) Hope you enjoyed it!

Joelle xx